Alteration in the mRNA expression profile of the autophagy-related mTOR pathway in schizophrenia patients treated with olanzapine

Abstract Background The mammalian target of rapamycin protein (mTOR) signaling pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and the mechanism of extrapyramidal adverse reactions to antipsychotic drugs, which might be mediated by an mTOR-dependent autophagy impairment. This study aimed to examine the expression of mTOR pathway genes in patients with schizophrenia treated with olanzapine, which is considered an mTOR inhibitor and autophagy inducer. Methods Thirty-two patients with acute schizophrenia who had been treated with olanzapine for four weeks (average dose 14.24 ± 4.35 mg/d) and 32 healthy volunteers were recruited. Before and after olanzapine treatment, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to evaluate the symptoms of patients with schizophrenia, and the mRNA expression levels of mTOR pathway-related genes, including MTOR, RICTOR, RAPTOR, and DEPTOR, were detected in fasting venous blood samples from all subjects using real-time quantitative PCR. Results The MTOR and RICTOR mRNA expression levels in patients with acute schizophrenia were significantly decreased compared with those of healthy controls and further significantly decreased after four weeks of olanzapine treatment. The DEPTOR mRNA expression levels in patients with acute schizophrenia were not significantly different from those of healthy controls but were significantly increased after treatment. The expression levels of the RAPTOR mRNA were not significantly different among the three groups. The pairwise correlations of MTOR, DEPTOR, RAPTOR, and RICTOR mRNA expression levels in patients with acute schizophrenia and healthy controls were significant. After olanzapine treatment, the correlations between the expression levels of the DEPTOR and MTOR mRNAs and between the DEPTOR and RICTOR mRNAs disappeared. Conclusions Abnormalities in the mTOR pathway, especially DEPTOR and mTORC2, might play important roles in the autophagy mechanism underlying the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and effects of olanzapine treatment.

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Alteration mRNA Expression Profile of Autophagy Related mTOR Pathway in Schizophrenic Patients with Olanzapine Treatment.

10.21203/rs.3.rs-284328/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Fengwei Cui ◽

Shuguang Gu ◽

Yue Gu ◽

Jiajun Yin ◽

Chunxia Fang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mrna Expression ◽

Mtor Pathway ◽

Average Dose ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Pairwise Correlation ◽

Acute Schizophrenia ◽

Olanzapine Treatment ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Mrna Expression Levels

Abstract Background: mTOR signaling pathway involves in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and the mechanism of extrapyramidal adverse reactions of antipsychotic drugs, which might mediate by mTOR-dependent autophagy impairment. This study aimed to examine the mRNA expression levels of Mammalian rapamycin target protein (mTOR) pathway genes in schizophrenia patients with olanzapine treatment, which is considered to be an mTOR inhibitor and autophagy inducer. Methods: Thirty-two acute schizophrenia patients had been treated with olanzapine for four weeks (average dose 14.24 ± 4.35 mg/d), along with 32 healthy volunteers. Before and after olanzapine treatment, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to evaluate the symptoms of schizophrenia patients, and the mRNA expression levels of mTOR pathway-related genes, including MTOR, RICTOR, RPTOR, and DEPTOR, were detected by real-time quantitative PCR with the fasting venous blood of all the samples. Results: The MTOR and RICTOR mRNA expression levels of acute schizophrenia patients significantly decreased than them of healthy controls, and furtherly significantly decreased after four weeks of olanzapine treatment. While DEPTOR mRNA expression levels of acute schizophrenia patients had no significant difference with them of healthy controls, but significantly increased after treatment. And the mRNA expression levels of RPTOR had no significant difference in the three groups. The pairwise correlation of MTOR, DEPTOR, RPTOR, and RICTOR mRNA expression levels in acute schizophrenia patients and healthy controls showed significant correlationships. After olanzapine treatment, the correlationships of mRNA expression levels disappeared between DEPTOR and MTOR, and also between DEPTOR and RICTOR. Conclusions: The results inferred the abnormalities of mTOR pathway, especially DEPTOR, might play important roles in autophagy mechanism of the pathophysiology in schizophrenia and olanzapine treatment.

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The role of CXCR3 and its ligands expression in Brucellar spondylitis

BMC Immunology ◽

10.1186/s12865-020-00390-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Xin Hu ◽

Xiaoqian Shang ◽

Liang Wang ◽

Jiahui Fan ◽

Yue Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protein Expression ◽

Mrna Expression ◽

Mononuclear Cells ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Inflammatory Infiltration ◽

Peripheral Blood Mononuclear ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Inflammatory Damage ◽

Ifn Γ ◽

Mrna Expression Levels

Abstract Aim Brucellar spondylitis (BS) is one of the most serious complications of brucellosis. CXCR3 is closely related to the severity of disease infection. This research aimed to study the degree of BS inflammatory damage through analyzing the expression levels of CXCR3 and its ligands (CXCL9 and CXCL10) in patients with BS. Methods A total of 29 BS patients and 15 healthy controls were enrolled. Real-Time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3, CXCL9 and CXCL10 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of BS patients and healthy controls. Hematoxylin-Eosin staining was used to show the pathological changes in BS lesion tissues. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to show the protein expression levels of Brucella-Ab, IFN-γ, CXCR3, CXCL9 and CXCL10 in BS lesion tissues. At the same time, ELISA was used to detect the serum levels of IFN-γ, CXCL9 CXCL10 and autoantibodies against CXCR3 in patients with BS. Results In lesion tissue of BS patients, it showed necrosis of cartilage, acute or chronic inflammatory infiltration. Brucella-Ab protein was abundantly expressed in close lesion tissue. And the protein expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3 and CXCL10 were highly expressed in close lesion tissue and serum of BS patients. At the same time, the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3 and CXCL10 in PBMCs of BS patients were significantly higher than those in controls. Conclusion In our research, the expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3 and its ligands were significantly higher than those in controls. It suggested that high expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCR3 and its ligands indicated a serious inflammatory damage in patients with BS.

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The decreased expression of IKBKE in systemic lupus erythematosus

Clinical Rheumatology ◽

10.1007/s10067-020-05006-6 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 39 (9) ◽

pp. 2611-2617

Author(s):

Tingting Zhu ◽

Jiaqi Hong ◽

Zongwen Shuai ◽

Shengqian Xu ◽

Danfeng Qian ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Mrna Expression ◽

Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Clinical Characteristics ◽

Regulatory Function ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Systemic Lupus ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Lower Expression ◽

Mrna Expression Levels

Abstract Objective The IKBKE has been proven to be associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) conducted by our group. The objective of the recent study is to investigate the contribution of IKBKE functional variants (rs2297550) to SLE. Methods We detected the regulatory effect of rs2297550 on IKBKE expression by expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) study. Then, we investigated the differences of IKBKE mRNA expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) between 135 SLE patients and 130 healthy controls using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). We further analyzed the association of SLE clinical characteristics with IKBKE mRNA expression and rs2297550 polymorphisms. Results The results of eQTL indicated the genotype “GG” of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2297550 was associated with lower expression levels of IKBKE (P = 0.022) in normal controls. Compared with the healthy control group, the expression levels of IKBKE mRNA in patients with SLE were significantly decreased (P = 2.32 × 10−12). In clinical characteristics, we found that IKBKE mRNA expression levels were associated with vasculitis (P = 0.015) and increased C-reactive protein (CRP) (P = 0.021) in SLE patients. Conclusion In this study, we not only detected that the variant rs2297550 of IKBKE may be closely related to SLE, but also proposed functional hypotheses for the association signals. Key Points• The rs2297550 is located in a region with transcriptional regulatory function and may regulate the expression of IKBKE via these regulatory elements.• The genotype “GG” of SNP rs2297550 was associated with lower expression levels of IKBKE.• The expression of IKBKE mRNA was decreased in SLE patients compared with healthy controls.• IKBKE contributes to the clinical characteristics of SLE.

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Decreased PERP Expression on Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis Negatively Correlates with Disease Activity

Clinical and Developmental Immunology ◽

10.1155/2013/256462 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Yanchun Du ◽

Lin Deng ◽

Yan Li ◽

Lu Gan ◽

Yantang Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Disease Activity ◽

Mrna Expression ◽

Mononuclear Cells ◽

Cell Types ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Peripheral Blood Mononuclear ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Cell Type Specific ◽

Mrna Expression Levels

Background. PERP, p53 apoptosis effector related to PMP-22, is a p53-dependent apoptosis in diverse cell types and has cell type-specific roles in p53-mediated apoptosis. However, its role in PBMCs of RA patients has remained largely unclear.Objectives. The aim of this study was to detect the expression levels of PERP on PBMCs of RA patients and healthy controls and analyze the role of PERP in the pathogenesis of RA.Methods. The mRNA expression levels of PERP and IL-17 were detected by real-time PCR in PBMCs from patients with RA (n=40) and healthy controls (n=40). The correlations of PERP expression levels to IL-17 transcripts and disease activity parameters were analyzed.Results. The PERP and IL-17 expression levels in the PBMCs were significantly decreased and increased in comparison of which in healthy controls. The mRNA expression levels of PERP in PBMCs from patients with RA were negatively correlated with IL-17 and disease activity parameters DAS28, RF, CRP, and ESR rather than Anti-CCP and ANA.Conclusions. These results demonstrated that PERP might be involved in the pathogenesis and a potential therapeutic target of RA by regulating the expression of IL-17.

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Blood CDKN2A Gene Expression in Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-210483 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Hiroaki Mori ◽

Yu Funahashi ◽

Yuta Yoshino ◽

Hiroshi Kumon ◽

Yuki Ozaki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽

Mrna Expression ◽

Kinase Inhibitor ◽

Methylation Status ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Cdkn2a Gene ◽

Potential Biomarker ◽

Mrna Expression Levels

Background: Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) is an important gene in cellular senescence and aging. Objective: This study assessed the utility of blood CDKN2A mRNA expression levels and methylation status as a potential biomarker for aging and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: The correlation between CDKN2A mRNA expression levels and age was examined in 45 healthy subjects, after which mRNA expression levels were compared among 46 AD patients, 20 mild cognitive impairment due to AD patients, 21 Parkinson’s disease patients, 21 dementia with Lewy bodies patients, and 55 older healthy controls. The methylation rates of the second exon of the CDKN2A gene, known to influence its expression levels, was also examined. Results: A significant correlation between CDKN2A mRNA expression levels and age was found (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient: r = 0.407, p = 0.005). CDKN2A mRNA expression levels in blood were significantly decreased in AD patients, although those of healthy controls were significantly increased with age. Further, only in AD patients were CDKN2A mRNA expression levels significantly and positively correlated with methylation rates. Conclusion: Although further research with a larger sample size is needed to elucidate the relationships between CDKN2A gene expression in blood and the development of other neurodegenerative diseases, CDKN2A mRNA expression in blood may be a biomarker for differentiating AD from normal aging and other neurodegenerative diseases.

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Glucocorticoid sensitivity in Behçet's disease

Endocrine Connections ◽

10.1530/ec-12-0056 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 103-111 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

R A M Quax ◽

J A M van Laar ◽

R van Heerebeek ◽

K Greiner ◽

E Ben-Chetrit ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mrna Expression ◽

Behçet’S Disease ◽

Gene Polymorphisms ◽

Behcet’S Disease ◽

Behçet's Disease ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Behcet's Disease ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Mrna Expression Levels

ObjectiveGlucocorticoid (GC) sensitivity is highly variable among individuals and has been associated with susceptibility to develop (auto-)inflammatory disorders. The purpose of the study was to assess GC sensitivity in Behçet's disease (BD) by studying the distribution of four GC receptor (GR) gene polymorphisms and by measuring in vitro cellular GC sensitivity.MethodsHealthy controls and patients with BD in three independent cohorts were genotyped for four functional GR gene polymorphisms. To gain insight into functional differences in in vitro GC sensitivity, 19 patients with BD were studied using two bioassays and a whole-cell dexamethasone-binding assay. Finally, mRNA expression levels of GR splice variants (GR-α and GR-β) were measured.ResultsHealthy controls and BD patients in the three separate cohorts had similar distributions of the four GR polymorphisms. The Bcll and 9β minor alleles frequency differed significantly between Caucasians and Mideast and Turkish individuals.At the functional level, a decreased in vitro cellular GC sensitivity was observed. GR number in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was higher in BD compared with controls. The ratio of GR-α/GR-β mRNA expression levels was significantly lower in BD.ConclusionsPolymorphisms in the GR gene are not associated with susceptibility to BD. However, in vitro cellular GC sensitivity is decreased in BD, possibly mediated by a relative higher expression of the dominant negative GR-β splice variant. This decreased in vitro GC sensitivity might play an as yet unidentified role in the pathophysiology of BD.

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Sinisan Protects Primary Hippocampal Neurons Against Corticosterone by Inhibiting Autophagy via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.627056 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Mingjia Zhang ◽

Yi Zhang ◽

Haitao Sun ◽

Hui Ni ◽

Jialing Sun ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protein Expression ◽

Mrna Expression ◽

Hippocampal Neurons ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Mtor Pathway ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Protein Ratio ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Primary Hippocampal Neurons ◽

Mrna Expression Levels

Objective: Corticosterone causes significant neurotoxicity in primary hippocampal neurons which is associated with depression. Dysfunctional autophagy is implicated in cognitive impairment and depressive-like behavior. The traditional Chinese medicine Sinisan (SNS) is highly effective in clinical treatment of depression. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying therapeutic effects of SNS are unknown.Purpose: The aim of this study was to elucidate the protective effect of SNS and the underlying mechanisms against corticosterone-induced neuronal damage.Study Design: The effects of serum derived from rats containing SNS (or untreated controls) on the expression of autophagy-related molecules in primary rat hippocampal neurons exposed to different concentrations of corticosterone for different intervals were explored.Methods: CCK-8 assay, LDH assay were used to analyze cell viability and LDH activity. Western blot, qRT-PCR, and immunofluorescence assays were used to determine protein and mRNA expression levels of molecules such as LC3, p62, Beclin1, ULK1, PI3K, p-PI3K, Akt p-Akt, mTOR, p-mTOR, p70S6, p-p70S6, 4ebp1 and p-4ebp1.Results: Corticosterone induced a dose- and time-dependent reduction in cellular viability. Moreover, corticosterone (100–400 μM) treatment for 24 h increased LC3-II/LC3-I protein ratio, increased Beclin1 and ULK1 protein expression levels, and decreased p62, PI3K, p-PI3K, p-Akt, p-mTOR, p-p70S6, and p-4ebp1 protein expression levels. Notably, SNS-containing serum reversed corticosterone-induced reduction of neuronal viability, and increased p62, PI3K, p-Akt, p-mTOR, p-p70S6, and p-4ebp1 protein and mRNA expression levels. In addition, SNS-containing serum decreased LC3-II/LC3-I protein ratio, and downregulated Beclin1, and ULK1 protein and mRNA expression in primary hippocampal neurons.Conclusion: SNS protects primary hippocampal neurons against corticosterone-induced neurotoxicity by preventing excessive autophagy through activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

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Bipolar disorder patients display reduced serum complement levels and elevated peripheral blood complement expression levels

Acta Neuropsychiatrica ◽

10.1017/neu.2017.10 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 70-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Uğur Akcan ◽

Sercan Karabulut ◽

Cem İsmail Küçükali ◽

Sibel Çakır ◽

Erdem Tüzün

Keyword(s):

Mrna Expression ◽

Peripheral Blood ◽

Neuron Specific Enolase ◽

First Episode ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Peripheral Blood Mononuclear ◽

Factor B ◽

Complement Factors ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Mrna Expression Levels

ObjectiveBipolar disorder (BD) patients have recently been shown to exhibit increased proinflammatory cytokine levels indicating the role of inflammation in this disease. As inflammatory responses often include complement level alterations and complement production is influenced by cytokines, we aimed to find out whether complement system is activated in BD in a time-dependent manner and complement factors are involved in BD pathogenesis.MethodsSerum C4, factor B, sC5b-9 and neuron-specific enolase levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, whereas peripheral blood mononuclear cell messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of C1q, C4, factor B and CD55 were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction in chronic BD patients (n=22), first episode BD patients (n=24) and healthy controls (n=19).ResultsSerum complement levels were significantly reduced in chronic BD patients as compared with first episode BD patients and healthy controls. Serum levels of complement factors showed significant inverse correlation with disease duration, severity of manic symptoms and serum neuron-specific enolase levels. In chronic BD patients, peripheral blood mononuclear cell mRNA expression levels of C1q, C4 and factor B were significantly elevated, whereas the mRNA expression level of the complement inhibitor CD55 was significantly reduced.ConclusionsOur results suggest that complement factor levels are reduced in BD presumably due to overconsumption of the complement system and complement production is increased at mRNA level possibly as a compensation measure. Complement factors might potentially be used as indicators of disease severity, neuronal loss and cognitive dysfunction.

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Single Immunoglobulin IL-1-Related Receptor (SIGIRR) Gene rs7396562 Polymorphism and Expression Level in Rheumatoid Arthritis

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2021/6683148 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Xiaoke Yang ◽

Mingyue Zhang ◽

Shengqian Xu ◽

Haifeng Pan ◽

Ruixue Leng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Mrna Expression ◽

Chinese Population ◽

Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Allelic Discrimination Assay ◽

Allelic Discrimination ◽

Expression Levels ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Mrna Expression Levels

Objectives. The aim of our study was to investigate the association of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and mRNA expression profile of single immunoglobulin IL-1-related receptor (SIGIRR) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a Chinese population. Methods. SIGIRR rs7396562 polymorphism was genotyped using TaqMan allelic discrimination assay in 517 RA patients and 601 healthy controls. Simultaneously, the SIGIRR mRNA expression levels of 79 RA patients and 76 healthy controls were examined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results. The frequency of SIGIRR rs7396562 T allele was significantly higher in RA patients compared with healthy controls (T versus G: OR = 1.277 , 95 % CI = 1.079 − 1.511 , P = 0.004 ). The TT genotype of SIGIRR rs7396562 was more frequent in RA patients than in healthy controls ( OR = 1.547 , 95 % CI = 1.107 − 2.163 , P = 0.011 ). Moreover, we also found a significant difference in the recessive model (TT versus TG+GG: OR = 1.439 , 95 % CI = 1.122 − 1.847 , P = 0.004 ). However, no significant evidence was observed for the association of the SIGIRR rs7396562 with RA in dominant model (TT+TG versus GG: OR = 1.275 , 95 % CI = 0.947 − 1.717 , P = 0.109 ). Further analysis showed no association between SIGIRR rs7396562 polymorphism and laboratory parameters of RA patients (all P > 0.05 ). The mRNA expression of SIGIRR was decreased in PBMCs of patients with RA when compared to healthy controls ( Z = − 2.459 , P = 0.014 ). No significant differences in SIGIRR mRNA expression levels were observed in patients with RA with different genotypes ( P = 0.280 ). Conclusions. Our findings demonstrated that the dysregulation of SIGIRR might be associated with the pathogenesis of RA, and SIGIRR rs7396562 polymorphism might contribute to RA susceptibility in the Chinese population.

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